England's Nathaniel Clyne will be looking to start for his country in France this summer

England and Liverpool right-back Nataniel Clyne claims he is thankful for the healthy competition for his place within the national side, as reported by Sky Sports.

The 25-year-old former Southampton man already has 12 international caps to his name, and will be looking to add to that tally over the coming weeks, although he is likely to face a fierce battle for his starting spot from Tottenham Hotspur defender Kyle Walker. Clyne, however, told Sky Sports News how the competition for places will bring out the best in the players:

England's Kyle Walker in action against Turkey

"There are players fighting for positions all over the pitch when they get an opportunity to show what they can do and that is healthy. I think it is good as it keeps everyone on their toes and keeps everyone fighting for positions - everyone wants to be hungry and has a determination to get themselves into the squad."

Who Hodgson will actually start with at right-back during the Euros is anyone's guess - in the last six internationals, Clyne and Walker have managed three starts each.

Liverpool's Nathaniel Clyne in action in the Europa League final

One huge factor in Walker's favour is the amount of games played by both players. The Tottenham man made only 35 appearances for his club over this past season, while Clyne appeared 52 times for the Reds. Many pundits believe Walker will be a lot fresher heading into the tournament, but the Liverpool man refutes these claims:

Tottenham's Kyle Walker played 17 less games than Clyne last season

"I still have a lot left in the tank to continue through the tournament. I am young and fresh and hopefully I can get more experience by playing in this tournament as it is my first tournament."

For the first time in a long time, England seem to have competition for places all over the pitch, and what a great feeling that must be for Roy Hodgson.

Antony Martin

A passionate football writer with an obsession for the beautiful game. Still has not seen either his club or country win a trophy during his time on earth. Aside from football, he is also a keen follower of golf, tennis and darts.